It is 1944, and Margit and her mother, who have fled from war-torn Czechoslovakia, are refugees in Canada. They are Jews, and although life is difficult in this unfamiliar land, they know it would have been much, much worse had they stayed behind. Margit manages to make some new friends but she cannot help wondering what will happen to her when the war ends. And what has become of her father, who was taken away by the Nazis?

It is 1946, and the war is finally over. Margit's beloved father has returned to his family after being held in a concentration camp, and Margit is thrilled. Her family is trying hard to do well in their new home, but Toronto is very different from Czechoslovakia. Her highly educated father cannot find work in this new country, and Margit starts to fail at school, which she hides from her parents. How can she disappoint the family she loves after they have been through so much to make a good life for her in Canada? Welcome back to OUR CANADIAN GIRL, and the continuing adventures of Margit and many other smart, spirited, and courageous girls. They come from different places and times in Canadian history, and each of them meets some ordinary—and extraordinary—challenges in her day-to-day life.

It is 1947, and Canada has opened its borders to one thousand Jewish war orphans. When Margit's own Toronto Jewish community is asked to open its homes and hearts to these children, she is determined to welcome a child to her family. But between school, housework, and helping care for her brother, Margit barely has a moment to herself. How can she convince her parents that they have the space, money, and time to open their doors to another child?

1947: Now that Margit and her family have settled into their new life in Toronto's Kensington Market, they have—at Margit's urging—agreed to take in a Polish orphan. Lilly speaks no English and jealously guards her only a photo of her mother and father. Unable to communicate with Lilly, or to comfort her when she wakes in the night with bad dreams, Margit and her family are feeling the strain. Even Margit's cherished friendship with Alice is at the breaking point. Will Margit ever be able to break through to this troubled young girl? Will Alice ever speak to her again?